St Charles College has four houses namely, Smith, O’Meara, Delalle and Conway. These houses, all steeped in history, serve as our Inter House names of which each boy of the College proudly belongs.
Smith House is named after Mr J. Leslie Smith, a benefactor of the school, and the first pupil to be enrolled when the Brothers took over in 1914. He was the founder of the Pietermaritzburg Old Boys Association, a member of the Natal Provincial Council for 12 years and a member of its Executive for eleven of them; a past president of the Natal Law Society. He is also a Knight of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great – an honour conferred by the Pope in 1960. Mr Patrick Leslie Smith and Mr Mark Leslie Smith also attended St Charles College. [1]
O’Meara House is named after Mr Thomas Patrick O’Meara, a miller who donated R4000 to provide an income for cash prizes to the top boy of each class. Mr O’ Meara had three sons at the school: G. O’Meara, J.J. O’Meara, and M. Henry O’Meara. J.J and M. Henry were killed in the First World War.[2]
Delalle House is named after Bishop Henri Delalle who was a principal of the school before the Brothers took over. [3] He was appointed as the principal of St Charles College in October 1896. Bishop Delalle was ordained as a Bishop on the 2nd of June 1904. [4]
Conway House is named after Miss Mary Conway, a singing and music teacher who organised many concerts in the Scott’s Theatre in Pietermaritzburg. Mary Conway was the daughter of James Patrick Conway (1885-1914), and her family presented the school with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1926 which was bought from Paris. It is now housed in the chapel. The family also provided a collection of books to establish the school library.
References
Marist Centenary Digest edited by L.J. Paola, published by South African Federation of Marist Old Boy’s Association,1967
Together Standing Tall, J. Waldman, Board of Governors, 2002
Websites – https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdelalle.html accessed 17.11.23
[1] Marist Centenary Digest p95
[2] Marist Centenary Digest p94
[3] https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdelalle.html accessed 17.11.23